Checked my plugs yesterday...and found all four are eroded, worn out...bah...the archs had rust or something, maybe carbon build up on them...ran to walmart to buy new ones and they only had 2 of the 4. Our part stores are closed on sundays so walmart next to go.

People replaced the plug wires but not the plugs. Could this be a reason the P0133 code is coming up or do I still need that replaced?

 

And a P0133 code means what?
I basically work on the premise of if it ain't broke don't fix it.
If the plugs look groady and corroded I would replace them.
If the spark plug wires look groady and corroded and measure wrong I'd replace them. If they don't? Well then what is the point.
If a P0133 code is a miss-fire code I wait and see if it stops flagging the code. You found something positively not good and am in the process of taking care of what you found. It don't hardly get too much better than that.
And I have no clue what the code is. I don't have them memorized.

 

P0133 - O2 Sensor.

 

O.k, that take some thought.
Thinking logically and assuming that most of the system type codes are inter-related;
I would assume that if you are having a miss-fire symptom that there would be a miss-fire code also.
However, an O2 sensor code should pretty much mean a wrong reading some where in the engine running cycle which could either be
The O2 sensor in a failure mode
or
The proper mixes of exhaust gasses for what ever reason is wrong when it got to the O2 sensor causing the O2 sensor to read wrong.

In terms of system monitoring, if the O2 sensor gave a failure code intermittently there is no down stream self check other than going to a smog station and having a smog check run to see if everything is o.k. or not. If everything is o.k., then the reading is wrong thus the O2 sensor is bad.
If it is not o.k., then the O2 sensor is flagging an error for some reason or another and something has to be fixed to make things o.k. before the O2 sensor reads correctly.
Which is why, in this state anyway as each state pretty much runs their own smog checks their own way, if you have a check engine light on they won't run a smog check thus you fail
or on newer cars (OBD-II I think but not sure as I write) they don't even run a smog check, they read the codes in memory and if there are none, they pass the car and smog checks become everyother year instead of each year. If they are codes present, it fails and you have to figure out what the codes are and why and get things re-set to nothing before you can bring the car back.

Thus I would assume based on logic and diagnostic approach that if things are Bad enough to cause a defective 02 reading to be bad that an additonal code would come up also.
In the Saturn's case, it has codes for miss-fires (which would cause exhaust gases to be out of range) to be also present.
Unless you have the capability of diagnosing exhaust gas composition then basically you and I are working off of a trouble remedy chart.
Something like if this looks bad, you change that.
Spark plugs look bad, thus need changing.
I on the other hand have had to deal with smog checks since 1979 when I moved the California. I also build go fast street motors that also will pass smog.
That is another story with lots of tales behind them as to what it takes to get them to pass smog, but they will and I have NEVER had an O2 sensor failure.
I personally would try to figure out how to test one before I replaced it.
I have even gotten them from junk yard cars and have had them work.
I have though had Catalytic Converter failures.
But that is not a problem you are working with.
Based on being an 02 code and no miss fire codes my first guess would be the 02 code is not indicating a sparkplug failure. Based on my experiance with 02 sensors, never having one fail? My second guess is that it is not in a failure mode.
Guess one and two contradict each other.
SO?
Change the spark plugs and see if the code comes back.
If it does then the O2 sensor is bad, you might as well believe it.
OR
Take the suggestion my High School Science teacher gave out as a lesson in life.
Keep and open mind, listen to everyones opinion politely, and then go ahead and do what ever you wanted to do in the first place.

 

I live in Iowa, they dont have safety/emissions inspections...but the plugs have been changed, just waiting for the code to pop again...but been told to try cleaning the sensor.

checked codes before work today. P0133 was active code even with new plugs. Will try cleaning sensor off, and if that fails, I guess ill buy new sensor.

 

i think once the actual sensor material gets "poisoned", there's not much you can do other than replace. It happens over time

 

I can't disagree with Derf on this. That is pretty much true.

 

Damn You. Ok. One thing at a time though. But will order one from the GM stealership here.

 

I'm with UnclJohn --

Get the plugs replaced (wires too, if warranted), then run it for a week or two and see if the error code persists. Then I'd think about changing sensors ...

 

bah, i ordered a o2 sensor. tried to clean the sensor but ses light comes on faster now. Everyone talking about how Denso is a good brand, thats what I got. $45 which is very close to what the dealership wanted. Hopefully Ill get better milage here soon.

Sorry, not the best pics of car right now.

Drivers side...this was at work

I bet nobody can guess where i work!